


A Man's Revenge

by User_needs_a_Username



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Coping, Deaf Character, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fullmetal, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Major Character Injury, Parental Maes Hughes, Parental Roy Mustang, Parenthood, Recovery, fma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:15:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25673434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/User_needs_a_Username/pseuds/User_needs_a_Username
Summary: A man seeking revenge on the State, crashes the train Edward and Alphonse are traveling on. While investigating the engine something goes wrong and Edward loses something he didn't know was so important until it was gone. [Parental RoyEd] No pairings, just some hinted Edwin later in the story (maybe).
Relationships: Alphonse Elric & Edward Elric, Alphonse Elric & Edward Elric & Roy Mustang, Alphonse Elric & Maes Hughes, Alphonse Elric & Roy Mustang, Edward Elric & Maes Hughes, Edward Elric & Roy Mustang, Maes Hughes & Roy Mustang
Comments: 42
Kudos: 118





	1. Chapter one

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic so... Yeah.  
> I hope you like it.  
> Updates are weekly for the time being.

Edward swung his State-certified pocket watch by the chain letting it make several full loops before he let it fall slack on the chain. Alphonse seemed to understand Edward's boredom. He turned his attention from the book he was reading to his brother, who had once again reasumed swinging his watch.

"Brother?" Alphonse said, a question begining to form in his throat, which to be fair wasn't really a throat. It was more of an imaginary throat.

"Huh?" Edward said as his only answer.

"Brother," Alponse repeated. "What are you thinking about?"

"Me?" Edward asked, a little out of it.

Alphonse nodded.

"I'm not thinking about anything. That's the problem. I'm freaking bored!" Edward said semi-anrgyly, swinging his watch and letting a small sigh escape from between his lips. Again, he let the watch fall slack against the chain. The watch spun, catching some of the sunlight from outside the window.

"How could you already be bored? We haven't even been on the train for an hour."

Edward groaned after hearing that. He had already asumed that it hadn't been too long since they had boarded the train. He really hadn't been paying much attention to the time, despite the fact that he had been staying at a watch. But he had hoped, more than asumed, that more time had passed.

"If it weren't for that stupid idiot Colonel we wouldn't have had to go on this mission in the first place."

"Well, Brother, if you are so tired than why not try to sleep on the way back to Central?" Alphonse said trying to be helpful.

"I never said I was tired, I said I was bored." Edward replied, placing his silver watch in his pocket.

"Okay, Brother, if you are so _bored_ ," Alphonse put heavy emphasis on the word. "Than why don't you take a nap? It will help pass the time."

"I'm not tired," Edward said 'super convincingly', especially when he yawned right after.

"Oh? You're not tired?" Alphonse started saying, giggling as his brother's ears turned red.

Edward cursed under his breath at his stupid mouth for letting the yawn escape. To be honest he actually was tired. The mission they were returning from, however small, still took a lot out of the blonalchemist.

"I'm not tired, but if to make you happy I'll take a sho- a non lengthy nap." Edward said, correcting himself before he could say that cursed word.

Edward closed his eyes for just a moment, letting his eye lids rest. Edward's eyes flashed back open when he heard a clang and felt his head flop against Alphonse's metal arm.

"Oh, sorry, Al." Edward muttered, trying to stifle another yawn that came upon him. "I guess I should lie down on the other bench to sleep."

Edward stood up, moving to the bench oppisite Alphonse. He dropped onto it heavily, laying down and closing his eyes. It didn't take long at all before Edward had given into sleep and was dragged into the warm bliss of rest.

Alphonse would have smiled if he could. It was funny to see his older brother melt into sleep so quickly. It was even more funny, though, mostly because only minutes before he had stated that he wasn't tired at all. Alphonse peeled his gaze from his sleeping brother and returned it to the book he had been reading.

\---

Edward's eyes flashed open. He woke to the sounds of screaching breaks, screaming people, and the suport under his back moving and tipping.

Ed shot his head in all directions, trying to take in his suroundings.

 _What was happening?_

People were being thrown about the car, screaming as the train car came dangerously close to tipping. Edward tried to steady himself, unfortunately for Edward it didn't work well and his face smacked the window causing it to shatter into a hundred pieces several of which sliced and scratched Edward's cheeks.

"Brother!" Edward heard Alphonse scream as his eyes lost focus, and he was thrown back into uncontiousness.

\---

Alphonse was nearing the end of the book he had been reading when the train car jolted. There was the horrible sound of screeching brakes and people screaming as the train derailed and was sent into the field they were crossing.

Edward had woken up in all the confusion, looking horrified and down right confused as the world seemed to be tipping. Alphonse could see that Edward was trying to right himself, but Alphonse could also see that it didn't really work. Another jolt of the car sent the train closer to the impending fate of tipping. It also pitched Edward forward, causing his head to collide with a window shattering the glass and cutting up his face.

"Brother!" Alphonse screamed as he reached out and grabbed his brother, pulling him into his embrace.

The car finally flipped on its side skidding along for a good distance before coming to a halt.

\---

Edward was still in Alphonse's arms when the train finally stopped. The noise also seemed to die down too, with several people uncontious and some others who had fallen into a sleep they wouldn't ever wake up from.

The people in the over turned car began to stir and pull themselves to their feet.

A wail of agony echoed through the car. It was followed by heart shattering sob that originated from a young man bent over the limp, lifeless body of a beautiful young woman.

Alphonse felt the need to look away, as if he was imposing on the man's grief by watching him hold the woman in his arms, anyways he had his brother to worry about as well. He would be a safe distraction from the pain surrounding him.

As if summoned by Alphonse's thoughts, Edward scrunched his eyes tighter and let his eyes flutter open.

"Mmmmmmmm," Edward clutched his throbing head. He looked up. His younger brother was holding him close to the boy's armour chest plate.

"Al? What happened?" Edward rasped, genuenly confused and in pain.

"Brother!" Edward winced at the headache Alphonse's shout caused. "You're okay! I'm so happy!" Alphonse pulled Edward into a hug that rivaled only Major Armstrong's hugs.

"Ahhgck, ow! Ow! Ow! Al! Ow! I think I may have bruised some of my ribs."

Edward took in a shaky breath as Alphonse let him back down again. He looked around at the damage surounding him and his brother. His thoughts instantly returned to the moment his head hit the window.

"H-how did this happen?" Edward asked, horrified as he looked at the people huddled together and comforting and greiving.

"I don't know." Alphonse answered in a quiet respectful voice, as to not disturb those who cried around him. "I think I know the basics, _maybe_ , something must have happened up at the engine that caused the train to flip on its side, which must be why the train was derailed in the first place."

Alphonse just looked at his brother as if he was waiting for Edward to comment on his theory.

"You're probably right," Edward muttered, as if contimplating what to do in this situation.

"I guess I should check out the cars closest to the engine and the engine itself." Edward thought aloud. "Especialy because I'm a State Alchemist. Urgh, sometimes being in the military sucks."

"Okay, Brother, let's go," Alphonse said as he stood up.

"Actually, Al, you should stay here and help the people in this car move back towards the end of the train." Edward said, gesturing to the people in the train car. "Anyways, what could possibly go wrong that hasn't already happened?"

"Well, I guess so," Alphonse began quietly.

"Great." Edward said as he turned around and started for the door wincing a little at his bruised ribs and aching head.

"Be careful, Brother!" Alphonse called after him. Edward turned and gave his brother a sly smile.

"Of course."

\---

The engineer could feel the pipes, that had fallen when the train flipped, pressing against him. Trapping him. He had a vague memory of what just happened.

CLANG!!

The sound of cursing near his feet roused him from his stupour. The memories all came flooding back. He began wrestling with the pipes pinning his body as memories of the other engineer messing with the brakes and valves flashed right behind his eyes.

CLANG!! CRASH!!

A few of the pipes came loose and crashed against the wall, which was now the support that held the engineer.

"Tobias?" The second engineer asked as the ringing noise died down. "I had hoped you'd died, so that you wouldn't have to see me do this, and so that you wouldn't have to know what was to happen."

Tobias took in a hard, shaky breath. "Wh-why did you do i-it? W-why did you crash the t-train?" The words barily came out as a rasp.

"You wouldn't understand!" The brown haired man hissed. "They took everything from me, and now I have the chance to take something from them."

 _Who?_ Tobias wanted ask, but before he could his voice failed him.

The man seemed to have finished showing Tobias any notice

and returned to the task he had chosen for himself. From Tobias's vantage point, under a collection of pipes, nothing seemed clear; he had no idea what the man was doing to the engine, only that he was doing something.

"They took everything." the man muttered under his breath. Once again Tobias longed to call out and ask the man _'Who? Who took everything?'_ but his voice refused to be used.

A thin terrified rasp finally escaped from the traped engineer. "W-who took e-everything from y-you?"

The man looked away from his task with a seemingly confused look. "The State! Who else? They take everything!" In a bout of frustration the second engineer punched the closest soild object, in his case it was the roof of the engine, which at the moment was playing the role of a wall. "My son, my only son joined that damn millitary. He tried to convince us that he would be fine. That his job was at a desk so he wasn't in any danger. He had already gone through the required training, but now that he was leaving for good it was harder to let him go." The man paused as if remembering something painful from his past, that he would rather not relive. "T-three months later w-we receved the news no parent ever wants to hear, It broke my wife." There was another pause from the man. "She d-died." During the recollection of this man's story he had had his back facing Tobias, but now as he aproching the end of his tale he turned and faced Tobias. "And I'm going to make the Millitary pay!" those last words were said with a sharp biting force that made Tobias flinch away.

"And I know just how to do it," The words escaped his mouth in a smooth, cold way. "I'm going to kill one of their precious State alchemists."


	2. Chapter two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So some technical difficulties made this chapter late.  
> I do hope you enjoy. I love to hear what you have to say about this story, and feel free to give ideas for the future (even if I have this mostly planned it for the next several chapters).

Edward climbed out of the wreckage, wincing as his bruised and broken ribs grated against each other. Edward had to be careful; he sure as heck wouldn't want a rib to puncture one of his lungs.

Beneath his metal leg, Edward could hear the wall supporting his weight creak in protest.

"The walls must have been weakened in the cash," Edward observed.

Carefully, trying to avoid both windows and creaky spots in the wall, Edward moved forward. He winced again at the excrutiating pain that flaired up in his chest.

Edward clutched his chest, trying to catch his breath against the burning, ever-growing pain in his ribs. His sight began to blur, due to his watering eyes. Blinking away tears that began to form, Edward straitened up, looking over the last two cars that still had to be crossed before he got to the engine.

Edward had come to the conclusion that he would check on the engine first, then after he made sure everything was fine there, he would start to move back, ushering people towards the back of the train where Alphonse should be waiting.

Again, Edward winced at the pain in his chest, jumping from one car to the next only fed the burning pain that flared.

Maybe one of his ribs had already pierced a lung? That might explain the horrible growing pain in his chest. Either that or he just had some broken ribs that really hurt.

"I can do this. Just two more jumps and a little walking in between, and I'll be at the engine, no problem." At that very moment Edward's metal left leg gave out. He fell face forward, in a most ungraceful fashion.

"Arghh, Ow! Okay, now we have a problem. Maybe Al should have come with me," Edward spoke through gritted teeth.

"No!" He answered himself strictly, "You're the big brother. Start acting like it!"

Edward groaned as he pulled himself to his feet, hoping, praying, that the automail would hold him. A sigh of relief escaped his lips when the automail knee didn't buckle and send him sprawling again.

The leg held him, that was good, but it didn't feel right, like something got damaged on the inside. "No!" Edward's face paled considerably, "Winry is going to kill me!"

Edward took a cautious step forward. Something was definitely wrong with the leg, but it continued to hold his weight as he walked unsteadily along.

"I wonder what she'll throw at me first? Probably that stupid wrench." Edward could already feel the heavy tools Winry used making contact with his skull.

Edward came to the edge of the car, a gap between himself and his goal mocked him. He jumped, catching himself with his flesh leg. Edward could have easily transmuted a bridge to walk across the gap on, but he had decided against it, not wanting to weaken the, already weak, walls any more than he had to.

Edward trudged the rest of the way, fighting against his locking metal knee, dragging himself along to the gap and sliding down in. He landed with a thud, almost colapsing when his knee started to give way. Righting himself just in timehe let loose a few colorful curses and moved forward to the engine's hatch, ready-ish to deal with any problems.

\--- 

Hawkeye knocked on the door to Mustang's inner office, letting herself in when he called out to her.

"Sir," She said, giving her commanding officer a salute. "A train on its way to Central was derailed in a field right outside of the city." She had the slightest hint of emotion in her voice.

"What's wrong, Lieutenant?" Mustang asked, picking up the change in her attitude.

"Sir, it was the same train Edward and Alphonse boarded earlier today."

Roy stiffened. He stood up and looked Hawkeye in the eyes. "Get the car, Lieutenant," He ordered.

Hawkeye saluted. "Yes, Sir!" She turned and sped out of the room, not wasting another second.

Roy followed her out of the inner office, only to be met with watchful eyes.

"Havoc!" Mustang called. The Second Lietenant hung onto every word from his orders; his usual silliness replaced with seriousness.

The whole room had picked up on Roy's tension and assimilated to fit his every need.

With his whole crew rushing to follow their orders, Mustang left the office heading to where he knew Hawkeye would be waiting with a car for him.

"Oh, Fullmetal, What have you gotten yourself into this time?"

\---

"You- you're gonna kill a St- state Alchemist?" Tobias was stuned almost beyond words. The man had sabotaged a train, and probably killed several people, but that wasn't enough for him?

"What better way to get back at the State than to take something they need?" The man answered.

Tobias tried to remember the man's name. If he could just convice him to think this through the- Tobias realised something mid thought, this man, he had thought this through. The happenings around Tobias where this man's thought through plan. The man was obviously sick, _very_ sick.

"What's it to you anyway? It isn't like he's done anything for you. He's just another dog of the military, willing to kill anyone in his way for power," The man hissed.

"A-aren't you saying that your son was also a d-dog of the Millitary?" Tobias dared to say.

"No! My son wouldn't have killed for his own ambitions!" The man spat angrily. "He was a..." The man trailed off as a loud thud filled the air, followed by cursing. He bent down and snatched something, pulling it up in a proctective way.

At the back of the engine the door swung open. Awkwardly, a boy tumbled into the space. He fell flat on his back, letting out a little yelp of pain.

Upon seeing the man, Edward pulled himself up, trying to uphold at least some of his dignity and keeping his weight off his metal leg.

Edward, once on his feet, noticed the defensive stance. "Don't worry. Thank goodness you're okay," He said, putting his hands up to show that he was unarmed. In reality his hands were his weapons, but the man didn't need to know that.

A spike of pain shot up Edward's side. He winced as he took in his surroundings.

Two engineers, one of which was trapped, while the other was baring a broken pipe at him.

"Don't worry," Edward repeated. He began moving in the direction of the trapped engineer. "I'm here to help. I'm a State Alchemist," Edward fixed his hands ready to clap, when the pinned man screamed at him.

"Get out! Get out of here, Kid! Get out! Now!"

Before Edward could even react something from behind struck his back, sending him pitching forward. He fell on the pile of debris; the jagged end of a pipe digging into his side. A cry of agony erupted from his mouth as the pipe broke through coat and skin, scarring across his flesh.

Edward turned to face his attacker, rolling away before another blow could be dealt to him. A blood trail followed him. He scrambled to his feet, almost toppling over as he dodged once again. Edward pressed his palms together; his vision begining to blur and darken around the edges, as blue light electrified the air. Another blow was directed at Edward. This time, though, he didn't dodge, but blocked with his new blade that had been formed using alchemy and his automail plating.

The man pushed harder against Edward's defense, causing him to stumble back against the machinery.

Edward's eyes widened; against his back he could feel the machinery. It was hot, _very_ hot. He bit his tongue against a scream as the heat burned through his coat. He fought desperatly to get away from the machinery burning his skin. Edward's eyes began to water; the wound in his side all but forgotten.

"Oh? Does it hurt, alchemist?" The man asked slyly, pushing harder against Edward, who pushed as well. Unfortunately for Edward, though, the man was stronger, and was succeeding in pushing him further against the burning machine. The smell of burning flesh reached Edward's nose almost making him throw up. He shifted slightly so that he could awkwardly clap his hands, and he would have succeded in doing so if not for the knee that was rammed into his gut. This, along with the loss of something pushing against him, caused him to collapse forward. Edward gulped, trying to fill his lungs with oxygen. None came. For a second, Edward was sure he was going to pass out, if not from the lack of oxygen than from the pain. His lungs were screaming, begging, him to just breathe. Still nothing. But then it came, a breath, than another and another. Now that he wasn't souly focused on breathing, the sounds of yelling filled his ears.

"Stop this! He's just a kid! He doesn't have anything to do with your son's death!" One voice yelled.

"He is with the State! He has to know what he was getting himself into! And don't you think it's a little late to give up now?!" Another voice shouted in return. Edward looked up to see one man pinning another man to the wall. It all came flooding back. the trapped man, who was now pinned to the wall, and the attack on Edward, which didn't go as planned. Edward tried to pull himself up to his feet. It took everything he had not to throw up from the pain.

"Well, look at that," Both engineers turned to look at him. "little alchemist is awake." A smile spread across the deranged engineer's face. "Now the fun can really start."


	3. Chapter three

_"Well look at that," Both engineers turned to look at him. "little alchemist is awake." A smile spread across the deranged engineer's face. "Now the fun can start."_

Edward scrambled the rest of the way to his feet. His head felt like it was floating, like his brain was swiming in a vat of molasses.

"C-come at me, I dare you!" Edward tried to sound menacing, but his voice betrayed him. Instead of being menacing his voice was raspy and sounded stained.

Edward was a mess. He sounded like a mess, and he looked like a mess, with his braid falling apart and blood seeping from his wounds. He still stood, though. He stood baring his automail blade and holding his wound.

"Don't be so cocky, Kid. You'll hurt yourself and then it won't be as fun to kill you."

The pinned engineer used this moment to clonk the other engineer in the jaw.

"Aargh! Ow!" The second engineer stumbled back a few steps. He looked up, furious. "Your gonna die for that, Tobias! I'm not letting anyone get in the way of my revenge!"

"Revenge?!" Edward demanded, running towards the two men, a little awkwardly, claping his hands together. "What have either of us done to you -well he just nailed you in the jaw- But what have I ever done to you?" Edward scooped up a pipe transmuting it into a curved dagger.

"Don't flatter yourself, Kid," The not-Tobias engineer spat, as he easily dodged Edward's attack. "It's not you I want to make pay, but the military you work for."

"Geez thanks, I'm so glad I have nothing to do with it but am still being targeted by a creep like you!" Edward remarked with all the sarcasm he could muster.

Edward lunged at the engineer. Tobias, following in suit, attacked as well. The engineer again dodged Edward's, weaker-then-usual, attack. This time, though, Edward wasn't attacking alone. The engineerer plowed strait into Tobias causing them both to topple.

Tobias was fast, but The other engineer was faster, he was on top of Tobias before Edward could even react to the sudden change. Edward shook his head, trying to free himself of the fog riddling his brain. Yes, maybe the engineer was on top of Tobias, but that also left his back wide open. Edward lept forward, tackling the man. They rolled together, this causing Edward a great deal of pain in his chest and side.

Blood loss was causing Edward's body to feel heavy; rolling with the engineer was only making him want to be sick.

"I'm sorry, you don't deserve to die like this, Kid," The engineer was on top at that moment.

"I'm not dead! So don't feel sorry!" Edward said through gritted teeth. He tried to roll the man off of him, but the man wouldn't budge.

"Your not dead yet, Kid, yet," He said it like he was already changing his mind about being sorry.

"You know, the way you're talking makes me think you aren't as sorry as you make yourself out to be," Edward said, again trying to roll the man off of him.

"Wow, you're smart, Kid. I understand why they let you join their group of murderers," The engineer hissed in a calm sardonic way.

Edward felt the weight of the man pulled off of him. Tobias held the man from behind. They thrashed about, fighting against each other. The man pushed backwards, pinning Tobias against the machinery. Edward winced in sympathy as he saw the pinned engineer's eyes widen from pain. Tobias's grip loosened enough for the other engineer to escape his grasp. The now free man moved as far away from Edward and Tobias as the engine's walls would allow. He bent down and scooped up a pipe. The end of the pipe was jagged and already red with blood. Edward knew right away where the blood came from. His injury hurt just thinking about the pipe cutting into his flesh.

"Stay back!" The man yelled. "I'm warning you!" 

The engineer smiled; he ran forward barring his pipe as one would a sword. Both Tobias and Edward lept out of the way, niether one sure on who the man was aiming for, seeing as he lept randomly and out of a deep desire to kill.

In reality the attack wasn't what they first believed. He hadn't been aiming for either of the two, just for where they were standing.

"Thanks for this spot. I like it much better." He reached down into his pocket letting his fingers slip around a small lighter. "You are rather annoying, puppy alchemist. I am finding it harder than expected to kill you."

"Ya' know that doesn't bother me much. You can keep not killing me. That would actually be my proffered option," Edward hissed.

The man smiled.

"As I was saying this isn't going quite as planned. So, I guess, I will just have to resort to this." He pulled the lighter from his pocket and lit a hidden fuse. The man had hidden explosives in the machinery a while back. He was surprised, though, that they hadn't exploded given the heat they had been exposed to.

"What did you just do?!" Edward demanded, pointing his arm-blade at the place the man had lit fuse.

"Why, Alchemist, I just signed your death certificate," The man laughed.

"How long did that one take you to think of?" Edward said, trying to sound sarcastic and not a little fearful. He was sure, though, that he sounded more appalled by the man's laughter then he intended to sound.

"Aw, Kid, it's okay to be scared. I don't want to die either." The man smiled

"I'm not scared! Now, tell me! What are were you doing?!" Edward yelled

"Gunner Pierce. Thats my name I want you to know it as you di-" His words were cut off by an ear shattering explosion. Edward's eyes opened wide, as he was tackled to the ground by Tobias, who was protecting him from the explosion.

Edward could feel his head slam against the ground, his eyesight blurring as he felt pain shoot through his damadged head and body. Another explosion sounded, as Edward, with ringing ears, dropped off the edge of contiousness and into a void of blackness.

\---

Alphonse held a small child. She had been too terrified to move, paralysed from fear. She had cried and cried, and no matter what he tried Alphonse couldn't get her to stop. That was how he had ended up carrying her.

The little girl's crying and the groaning of the walls were the only noises, besides the sound of Alphonse's foot falls, that could be heard from this, now abandoned, train car. This car had been the last one he needed to check the other few closest to the engine had been checked by another person, who had deemed them as empty.

Alphonse ducked out of the door and into the sunlight. The girl's crying died down to wimpering as she realized that she was now safe from the creaking, groaning train walls.

"Sophie! Sophie!" There was a man running towards Alphonse; his hands outstretched to take the child. The little girl turned to the voice.

"Daddy!" She squeaked, reaching out for the man, who pulled the girl out of Alphonse's arms holding her tightly. He dropped to his knees sobbing for joy.

"Thank you! Thank you!" The man repeated the phrase again and again. Alphonse wasn't sure if the thanks was for him or for the little girl in the man's arms. He didn't have time to consider it anyway.

The horrible sound, like a bomb going off, filled the air. The sound of, yet, another explosion split through the air followed by another and another. The sound of the explosions began to die down, but the sheer panic filling Al's hollow chest only grew.

\---

Mustang was close enough now to see the wreakage of the train through his window.

The train had landed on it's side and skidded across the earth, digging a furrow in the soft ground. Even from the distance he was faced with, Roy could see people milling about, helping the others around them. From this distance he also heard the deafening series of explosions.

"Step on it, Lieutenant!" Mustang shouted, tensing as he watched black smoke rise from the engine of the machine.

Hawkeye pushed harder on the gas, speeding the car up. The time it took to reach the derailed train wasn't long at all, but to Mustang it felt like hours had passed. He practicly jumped out of the car as it came to a stop at the site.

Mustang began running in the direction of the smoke billowing engine. He saw, twenty or so feet ahead of him, Alphonse Elric running as well, but-

Mustang's heart stopped for a moment.

_Where was Edward?_

_No! No! No! Please, no! Don't be there Fullmetal! Don't!_

"Alphonse!" Roy shouted, chasing the child-armour.

Alphonse turned back at the familiar voice stopping for a moment. "Colonel?" The posture of his armour body showed his evident worry. "What are you doing here?"

Mustang ignored the question, asking one of his own "Alphonse, where's Fullmetal?!"

"H-he's- he went-" Alphonse's voice cracked. Mustang was sure that if the child could cry he would.

Roy's brain put two and two together; he wanted to be sick.

_No!_

As if needing to confirm the horrid truth he knew to be correct, he cocked his head in the direction of the smoking engine.

Alphonse nodded.

Nothing could have stopped Roy. He ran like mad, not wanting his fears be proved right.

_What if Edward was dead? Or dying?_

The loud clanking of metal footsteps followed him. Alphonse.

_Please don't die, Edward! Alphonse can't see that! I can't see that!_

Roy knew that was the truth; he wouldn't have been able to stomach the sight of his youngest subordinate lying dead. He had recently begun to feel a change in his relationship with both of the Elric brothers. Roy wasn't sure if Edward had noticed how he felt about them, but that wasn't important at that very moment. What was important was finding Edward _alive._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't jump to any conclusions about anyone's fate yet!   
> I hope you enjoyed!   
> Thanks for the comments and kudos!


	4. Chapter 4

The heat radiating off the engine was almost too much to bare, as Roy neared. He refused to let that stop him, though. The Flame alchemist being stopped by heat would be embarrassing, but that still wasn't the reason for not stopping. He needed to save the kid, he had to save _Edward_. He wouldn't be able to live with himself of he let that stupid kid die.

Roy was now close enough to reach out and touch the side of the engine. Without thinking, his right hand rose, closing in on the burning metal.

"Colonel! Don't touch it!" Alphonse's voice made him think twice about his decision.

"Let me do it. I won't be able to feel the heat," Al said, reminding Roy of the safer choice.

Roy took a step back, making room for the large armour to work. Alphonse pulled a piece of chalk out and began drawing a transmutation circle on the side of the engine. He pressed his hands against the circle, sending blue light shinning through the air. The wall began to deconstruct and reconstruct into an empty doorway.

Roy didn't even wait for the blue light to fade before running into the, now empty, space. He was met with a blast of heat. It would quickly become too hot. He knew that from experience.

Roy's breath caught in his chest as the stinch of burnt flesh was forced into his nostrils. He fought against the overwhelming urge to vomit from the putrid smell. That alone would have made him sick, but it wasn't alone there was also the sickening sight of two charred corpses.

"Colonel?" The voice behind him asked, when he hesitated to go in all the way. "What's wrong? What do you see?" panic was starting to creep into the voice.

 _Get ahold of yourself!_ Roy internally screamed. _You have seen this before! You've done this! It's no different then those times in Ishbal._ He was wrong though, this was different, this was Edward. _His_ subordinate. The little boy everyone saw as broken before he had gotten his automail, but he had seen the boy as he truly was, a strong, determind child. He was nothing like any of the others. He was Edward.

A flash of a familiar red caught Roy's eye and pulled him out of his thoughts. It was trapped under one of the corpses. Under. Not on. _Under_. Roy suddenly didn't feel the heat anymore he only felt cold dread. The chance that Edward might still alive didn't seem as likely now. What if Mustang had been to late? What if Edward was dead, and Roy had been too late to find the kid?

Mustang moved towards the corpse and red coat, with a quick pace, not stopping when he heard the shocked gasp of the younger Elric.

Roy knelt by the corpse with the red coat under it. He tried desperately not to be sick from the smell. Roy knew the smell of burning flesh from too much experience. He should have been used to the smell, but he wasn't. Roy knew he probably never would be.

Alphonse was now standing beside Mustang. Roy knew that he must have already seen the red coat.

"Colonel, i-is that m-my broth-" Alphonse's voice once again cracked, and along with it Roy's heart. He just couldn't stand the sound of the child's evident pain.

Gathering all the courage he could muster Roy pulled the corpse away from the red fabric. Roy wanted only to cry out for joy, though he remained quiet, as he looked at the boy he had come to find. His joy melted away as he looked over the pale face. Edward's eyes were closed. He didn't even look like he was breathing. Mustang pulled off his glove pushing his middle and index fingers against Edward's neck, checking for a pulse. His skin was hot. And his pulse was weak, _very_ weak, but it was there.

"I-is he alive?" Alphonse asked, hope clinging to his voice.

"Barely," Roy responded, frowning slightly. He noticed the steadily bleeding wound in his young subordinate's side. This wasn't his only injury, he was covered in cuts and bruises, and burns covered most of Edward's left arm all the way up to part of his cheek.

Roy removed his jacket and bunched it up against Edward's wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding. Edward didn't react to anything. He didn't even flinch in pain when Mustang lifted him up and held him in his arms bridal-style. Roy winced in discomfort at the heat in Edward's body and the weight.

"Alphonse, we need to get out of here. It's too hot, and your brother needs serious medical attention," Roy said, pulling himself to his feet and moving towards the doorway with his bundle. Alphonse followed, looking over Mustang's shoulder at his unconscious brother's face.

\---

Lieutenant Hawkeye was distressed when Mustang had approached her, covered in sweat, with the bleeding and unconscious kid. She had been very worried about Edward, but seeing him now brought on a whole new level of worry, one a mother would feel when she found out her son was hurt. It wasn't that she thought she was his mother. She just didn't want him to be hurt. Without meaning to, Hawkeye hesitated, worrying that leaving, even for only a second, might result in him hurting himself more. She couldn't let that happen. He was already hurt and, quite possibly, in fact most likely, dying. She shook her head against the silly notion that he would be hurt, he would be safe with the Colonel, but not if she didn't move and start the car.

As Hawkeye ran ahead of them in the direction of the car, Alphonse wrung his large gauntlet hands, worry radiating off of him in waves. He followed the Colonel at a slower pace. He longed to wrap his arms around his brother and hold him tightly to his chest so that he could never be hurt like this again. That would only hurt Edward more, though.

They reached the now running car. Alphonse piled into the back seat, not leaving Mustang with much of a choice but to place Edward in Alphonse's protective arms and sit in passenger seat, worrying about his subordinate's serious condition. Alphonse had more to be worried about, though.

"Lieutenant, How far to the nearest hospital?" Mustang asked, looking over at the woman who was already driving off.

"About twenty minutes, Sir," She answered.

"Make it fifteen!" Roy ordered.

"Yes, sir!"

Mustang glanced back at the brothers through the rear view mirror. Guilt weighed down heavily on his shoulders; he realised that those brothers would never had been on that train if not for him. It was entirely his fault. If only he hadn't sent the two boys on that mission. This wouldn't have happened. He wouldn't be worrying that his youngest subordinate would die at any moment. He knew that this was all his fault.

So that was how the trip to the hospital went, Roy weighed down by his sickening guilt, Hawkeye speeding to the nearest hospital, Alphonse holding his severely injured brother, and all of this was set in an awkward and tense silence only broken by the occasional wheezing breath from Edward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not really happy with how this turned out, and I know it's short and late. I hope you can forgive me. I will have the next two chapters out within the next two days. That's good news!
> 
> I love hearing what you readers think! And thank you for the support!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Btw: This is sort of an AU because I'm an idiot. Thanks for the comments, kudos, and bookmarks! You guys are great! Comments make this so much easier to write!

Roy paced nervously in the waiting room, causing even more stress on the others. He had lost the ability to wait patiently long ago. How could he wait patiently when he knew this was his fault, that the reason Edward was hurt was his doing?

Roy's mind wandered back to when they had first arrived at the hospital. Alphonse had panicked slightly when the nurses took Edward and wheeled him away to surgery. It wasn't too much of a surprise when Alphonse tried to follow, but was pushed back. The only questions the nurses had voiced were asking them if Edward was allergic to anything and what was his blood type. Roy shuddered when he remembered how pale Edward looked as he was taken away.

_No! Don't think about that! It just makes the guilt worse._

Roy stormed away in the direction of the pay phones; he needed to make a call.

Without much thought, Roy dialed the number he always called when he needed support. Most of the time it was literal support, after one to many drinks at the bar on a _really_ hard day. He wasn't an alcoholic he just, sometimes, went overboard.

Roy felt kind of bad, considering he was calling him on his day off, but it was too late now. The ringing stopped. On the other end of the phone a voice answered.

_"Hello? This it's Maes Hu-"_

"Hughes, it's me Roy. I know it's your day off, but I need you. Fullmetal is-" This time it was Maes's turn to interrupt.

_"Ed?! What's wrong with Ed?"_

"There was an accident and-" Today seemed to be the day for interruptions.

 _"Where are you?"_ Hughes was stern.

"We are at the Saint Ander's hospital."

_"I'll be right there!"_

The clicking sound of the phone being hung up filled Roy's ear. Turning around Roy started back to where the others waited.

\---

In the time it took for Hughes to arrive, more people from the accident had come in, the ones with more serious injuries that needed immediate attention. The others with far less serious injuries were taken to other hospitals so as not to swamp this hospital.

Hughes didn't know why it was so crowded, considering he didn't know what kind of accident Edward had been in. He searched the faces of the people in the hospital waiting room his eyes falling upon the familiar faces of Roy, Alphonse, and Riza.

Maes approached the quiet, waiting group silently, only speaking when he was within a few feet off them.

"How is he?" Maes asked startling the group, who hadn't noticed his approach yet.

They all looked up, but Mustang was the one to answer. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"We don't know."

Those words did nothing to help Hughes's stress level.

"At least tell me you know what happened?" Hughes was desperate now.

"The train flipped," Alphonse said in a hushed voice, bowing his head to look at the floor. Roy and Riza both looked at the boy slightly surprised, this was the fist thing he had said since his brother had been taken back into surgery an hour or so ago.

Hughes gasped. A train crash was dangerous and could often times kill lots of people. He bent down in front of the boy and placed his hand on the kid's gauntlet.

"I'm sure your brother will be okay. He's strong and would never allow himself to get in the way of you guys getting your bodies back." Hughes gave Alphonse a smile, and the kid seemed to brighten.

"Thank you, Mr Hughes. That makes me feel better." It was a lie. Alphonse didn't feel better at all.

"You're welcome, Al."

\--- 

Hours went by and the group just sat there waiting, that was all they could do, was it not?

Havoc frowned as he moved towards them.

"No word yet?" Havoc asked. The others just shook their heads "no". As if on que a doctor came out from behind the double doors and called out in a calm, traveling voice.

"Anyone here for an Edward Elric?"

At the name Alphonse jumped up moving towards the doctor. The others followed right on his heels.

"I'm his brother!" Alphonse answered.

"And I'm Colonel Mustang, his commanding officer and legal guardian," Mustang said, stopping in front of the doctor.

The doctor was an average height with short brown hair and deep blue eyes. He held a clipboard against his chest.

"Mr. Mustang," the doctor started. "Major Elric has been stabilised and is now out of surgery. the gash he has along his right side has between stitched up and several of his ribs were broken including one that pierced his right lung. We found some internal bleeding as well. The burns he received covered half of his back and most our his left arm are third degree burns. And on top of that he has a concussion. He needed about three units in the blood transfusion, but he did lose quite a bit of blood so another may become necessary. And he isn't out of danger yet there is still a chance of infection." The doctor was quiet letting his words sink in and giving them time to ask questions.

"Can we go back and see him now?" Alphonse said, barely trusting his voice. The doctor hesitated before answering.

"Yes, That's fine. He's still unconscious so you will need to be quiet, and so as not to stress him out when he wakes up, don't be too loud, and try not to have too many people around." The doctor guided the group through a set of doors and down several hallways to a room.

"Room 141," the doctor said. "Now, I'll leave to give you some privacy. Find a doctor or a nurse when he wakes up. I'll come back to check on him later." The doctor walked away to tend to other duties elsewhere.

Taking a deep breath, Mustang opened the door to the room. Like the doctor had said Edward was uncontious, on his face was an oxygen mask. Roy held back a gasp when he noticed just how pale Edward was. Alphonse followed Roy into the room, but he didn't try to hide his surprise when he saw Edward.

"Brother," Alphonse gasped in horror, trembling.

Everyone was equally horrified at seeing their usually fiery subordinate lying motionless on the hospital bed, pale and looking like death itself. This wasn't a look they liked to see on the boy.

Alphonse moved towards the hospital bed looking down at his brother. Edward's flesh arm was almost completely covered in bandages. On his face, smaller bandages covered cuts and burns. If it weren't for the hospital garb and blankets covering Edward's chest, they would have been able to see even more bandages wrapped around the boy's torso.

"Poor Ed," Hughes said, looking down at the bed's occupant.

"Don't let him hear you say that," Mustang warned his friend, though silently he agreed. That kid had gone through so much. If the world really did work on the basis of equivalent exchange then that kid had a future to look forward to, but at the moment Edward was forced to face yet another trial of pain.

The room fell into silence. No one spoke, they just sat there. Alphonse reached out and took his brother's flesh hand, carefully as not to accidentally pull out the IV. He sat there holding his brother's hand and feeling a sense of guilt creeping over him. If only he'd been there he would have been able to help. Alphonse knew that Edward wouldn't blame him, but that just made it worse. He also knew that his brother would feel guilty about not being able to save those engineers.

_If only I had just been there!_

\---

An hour or so passed without much change. In that time Riza had gone off and returned with confirmation of the deaths of both engineers. He had requested for her to find out because he knew Edward would want to know.

Against their wishes and demands, Havoc and Hawkeye were forced to leave after a doctor had found the group crowded in the room. The doctor had stated that having to many people around when Edward woke up might tire him out or cause him unwanted stress. He had technically said that only two people should be allowed in with the patient, but there was no way Mustang or Hughes would be talked out of staying, and Alphonse was out of the question, he wouldn't leave his brother for anything. Not that either of them would try to make him leave.

All four of the room's occupants were quiet, leaving the heart monitor's steady beeping as the only sound to be heard.

Half an hour passed in silence before the sound of groaning coming from the bed, grabbed everyone's attention.

"Brother?" Al whispered. The groaning didn't cease.

Edward's face scrunched up in pain, before his eye lids flickered open, revealing two confused, sleep-dulled golden irises.

"Brother? Oh, Brother I was so worried. I'm so glad you're okay!" Alphonse sighed in relief.

"Yeah, Ed, you really scared everyone. We were really worried," Hughes said, a smile filling his face.

"Fullmetal, next time you plan to do something stupid, check the height requirements," Mustang teased, in an effort to rid himself of some of his guilt. It didn't work, of course.

Edward just looked at them in a confused action like something wasn't right. His eyes bounced from one person too the next, the confusion never leaving his expression.

"W-why can't I-" Edward's muffled voice broke off. A look of absolute horror filled his face as if he just realised something horrible.

"No," Edward's voice was shaky. "No..."

Edward's whole body hurt. He groaned from the pain. Somewhere in the back of his mind alarms flared, signaling to him that something wasn't right, but his brain was too numb to piece it together.

Edward was sure that if anyone could see him now, they would see his face mirroring pain. He tried to open his eyes, but they felt so weighed down. He like he was floating in a vat of molasses. Its stickiness glued his eyes shut. All his senses were playing dead. After much effort, his eyes finally flickered open. They were met with a blinding white light. As they adjusted to the light he noticed he was lying in a hospital bed. The scents crashed into him now the he was more awake. The smells were not really pleasant, but at least they weren't strong. Looking around he also noticed that the room wasn't empty. Sitting next to Edward was his brother, and behind Alphonse he could see Hughes and Mustang.

Edward was confused he could see Hughes's lips moving, but why couldn't he hear his voice? Mustang too.

"W-why can't I-" Edward stopped himself short, he was horrified. He couldn't even hear his own voice.

"No, no..." Edward couldn't hear his voice as he said it.

_Why can't I hear anything?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry! Reaction is next chapter! And sorry about Tobias. I actually liked him, but I already had that written!
> 
> Please forgive me!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like a horrible jerk. I kept putting this off for a long time. I'm so sorry!!! 
> 
> Please forgive me?
> 
> I know it doesn't help that this is unbearably awful and short.

_Why can't I hear anything?_

Edward started to panic; his hands moved to his face. He winced from the effort it took to lift his automail and from the pain it took to lift his flesh arm. Edward's flesh hand brushed up against the oxygen mask on his face. He ripped it off and made a frightened noise that he himself couldn't hear.

"Al? H-hughes? Mu-mustang? What-what happened t-to my- Why c-can't I- My-my ears?" Edward stuttered, letting his hands gravitate towards his ears.

The looks his friends gave him worried Edward. He looked to his brother. He may not be able to see his brother's facial expression, but he could tell that, by the way Al's armour shoulders slumped, Al was upset and worried.

Edward tried to sit up only to be met with a horrible searing, burning pain in his ribs and back. Again he saw the lips of his friends moving without the companion of words.

Edward wanted so badly for the pain and confusion to go away and leave him alone. The pain spread down to the injury in his side where the pipe had impaled him.

_Please, it hurts and I just want it to stop! I don't want to be confused anymore! What happened?!_

\---

Maes starred at Edward as he panicked and ripped away the oxygen mask. A noise he had never heard from the boy was absolute fear, but there it was.

"Ed, are you okay?" Maes asked, his brows furrowing in worry.

"Al? H-hughes? Mu-mustang? What-what happened t-to my- Why c-can't I- My-My ears?" Edward's voice was high pitched as he stuttered through his words.

Maes's worry deepened along with everyone else's.

"Fullmetal? Is everything okay?" There was obvious worry in Mustang's question.

"Brother, what's wrong?" Alphonse squeaked, his shoulders slumping.

Edward tried to sit up, pain showing clearly in his face. He fell onto his back again, probably in even more pain because of the burns on his back.

"Ed, take a deep breath, calm down, and tell us what's wrong."

Edward didn't take a deep breath, he didn't calm down, and he didn't tell them what was wrong; he panicked. His breaths came quick and short. All any of them could know was that something wasn't right. No. Something was seriously wrong.

"Fullmet- Ed, calm down and breath normally!" Mustang ordered the boy. "You're going to hyperventilate."

Edward showed no signs that he had acknowledged or even heard his superior's voice.

Everything began to fall together. Maes, whose job was piecing together facts, began to realise the horrible truth. Something was seriously wrong, Edward had already confirmed that. He had also said that he couldn't do something, and he wasn't acknowledging or acting like he had heard anything that they said. Then another thing came to mind. Edward, he had said something about his ears.

_No! That couldn't..._

"Ed, can you hear me?" Maes asked, scared for the answer.

"Of course, Brother can..." Alphonse started trailing off. "You don't think he's..." Alphonse couldn't quite finish the question.

"Guys? W-what's happening? I can't h-hear anything." Edward released a hiccup.

There it was.

Everyone stopped.

Maes felt sick. He'd been right, but he didn't feel good about it. He would rather have been wrong and embarrassed than the truth be, well, true.

"What does he mean? Fullmetal, what do you mean?" Mustang demanded.

Maes let himself become somber. He found it hard to bring out the words in anything more than a whisper.

"I think- Roy, I think he might be deaf."

Roy was shocked. Those words felt heavy.

"He..." Mustang trailed off. "He can't be! I just saw him less then a week ago and he was fine! He can't b-"

"Roy!" Hughes interrupted. "You know as well as I do that things can change fast! There was as explosion! We don't have control over the past or the future. Ed said that He couldn't hear so denying the truth is idiotic. You can't just say that the way you want the world is the only way that is possible, so-"

"SO STOP FIGHTING! It's useless! And it won't solve anything!" Neither Maes nor Mustang had ever witnessed Alphonse snap like that. "If Brother really is... Then I want to help him, not fight!"

Everyone looked at Edward, staring up at them from the bed, unable to hear anything they had just said.

\---

It was torture for Edward to just sit there in silence. Never in his life did Edward even consider the suffocating feeling of complete silence. He had never been in complete silence. Yes, there were times when it had been quiet, but Alphonse was there so it wasn't completely silent. And even when Al wasn't around Edward could hear his own breathing. Now he could hear nothing, not even his own breathing. It was truly terrifying to say the least, and Edward wasn't one to be scared about just anything.

All Edward had was, ever constant, faint white noise in the back of his head, and the growing panic he was feeling as he stared at his friends.

The inaudiblity of the room was getting to Edward. He just wanted the cloud of confusion to go away. That, of course, wasn't happening. When did anything happen exactly the way Edward wanted it to?

Edward was still taking in short and quick breaths. He was frantic. It was almost as if he could see the worry oozing off of his brother and friends. That was one reason for the panic he felt.

Of course, seeing his friends worried only proved what he already knew.

Something was terribly wrong. And they didn't know how to fix it.


End file.
